Review: AceHTML Pro 6
Editor: AceHTML Pro 6
Version: 6.50.0
Developer: Visicom Media
Platform/OS: Windows
WYSIWYG: No
License: Commercial/Shareware
Price: $74.95 CAD
Admittedly, I was rooting for AceHTML Pro 6 since I discovered it was created by a Canadian company – the first HTML editor I’ve found that is. I evaluated the 30-day demo of AceHTML Pro, and while it offers many of the options included in other editors, I found the demo itself a bit buggy. For example, the 30 day limit never counted down, making me wonder if the demo would actually expire; as well, some of my settings reset each time I started the program (code helper delay, for instance), which was rather annoying. AceHTML Pro does, however, contain some features I haven’t seen anywhere else, including a To Do List manager and the ability to highlight code (as if with a highlighter pen).
What I Like
- Code Highlighter.
- Link Checker.
- Flexible and customizable user interface, including the ability to create your own toolbar buttons.
- Code Helper/code completion for HTML, ASP, and PHP.
- The Quick Table button, which allows you to create a bare bones table in two clicks.
- Snippets, for code reuse.
- Syntax Checker for HTML, CSS, ASP, PHP, JavaScript, and VBScript.
- Under 10MB to download.
Gripes
- Code Helper settings reset each time the program is loaded.
- Automatically inserted tags (i.e., elements inserted into the code via a button) don’t adhere to the user’s tab/indent settings. So, for example, if I have my tabs set to 3 spaces and I create a table using the Quick Table button, the indented code will not be indented only 3 spaces.
- CSS editing is a bit of a chore without code insight (auto pop-up), and using the built-in CSS Code Inspector to create style sheets is too clunky and seems to destroy your code formatting.
- Bold and Italic buttons and keyboard shortcuts input
<b>and<i>by default instead of<strong>and<em>, regardless of DOCTYPE. - Default HTML template doesn’t include a DOCTYPE declaration (you can customize templates, however).
- Every time I started the program, it would make my laptop screen flicker. This might be related to the demo, but I’m not sure.
Wish List
- Better CSS support.
- Bug fixes.
Overall
If AceHTML Pro 6 were a free program, it would be easy to overlook some of its quirks. However, when you’re paying $75, you should be able to focus on your work and not on the software in which you’re working. I just never felt really comfortable using AceHTML Pro, especially since I’ve gotten used to features like CSS code completion in other programs, which invariably save me a lot of time when I’m creating websites. All in all, I can’t really recommend this program, but it is one I’ll be keeping an eye on.
(Note: This review is concerned with version 6.50.0 of the software, and I see now that there has been a minor update to 6.50.1, which may address some of the problems I encountered.)
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I downgraded my rating from 3 to 2.5, not because of further use, but in comparison to the other editors I’ve been evaluating.
Comment by Eric — June 11, 2006 @ 3:17 pm
GlobalSCAPE sells AceHTML Pro under the name CuteHTML Pro. Basically the same program, so you can apply this review to CuteHTML Pro as well. Meh.
Comment by Eric — June 11, 2006 @ 8:11 pm